The National Archives Education Service

Propaganda and the art of war

Preparation materials for videoconference/virtual classroom (KS2) Contents

Teacher’s notes ........................................................................................................................................... 3

Document: INF 3/203 .................................................................................................................................. 4

‘Help put the lid on Hitler by saving your old metal and paper’, unknown date.

Document: INF 3/87 ..................................................................................................................................... 5

‘Children should be evacuated’ by Dudley S Cowes, unknown date.

Document: INF 3/98 ..................................................................................................................................... 6

‘Dig for Plenty’ by Le Bon, 1944

Document: INF 3/318 ..................................................................................................................................... 7

‘Together’ by William Little, August 1941

Document: INF 2/44/169 ............................................................................................................................... 8

Document: INF 2/44/45 ................................................................................................................................. 9

Document: INF 2/44/32 ................................................................................................................................. 10

Document: INF 2/44/85 ................................................................................................................................. 11 Students do not need to do any work in preparation for this videoconference/virtual classroom. However, if there are students who have visual impairments and may have difficulty viewing the screen during the session, please enlarge copies of the documents for them to refer to.

This session will lead students through three types of propaganda: government posters, newsreel and photographs. Students will consider the reasons for propaganda and the nature of propaganda.

Useful links

Online Lessons:

Gordon Ford’s Story: What was it like to be an airman in World War Two?\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/lesson53.htm

The Home Front: How did people prepare for the war at home?\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/lesson09.htm

Evacuation to Canada: How much care was really taken?\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/lesson35.htm

Government Posters: How did Britain encourage people at home to help win the war?\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/lesson19.htm

British response to V1 and V2: How did Britain respond to the threat of missile attack in 1943?\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/lesson42.htm

Evacuation to Shropshire: What was it like in the Second World War?\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lessons/lesson46.htm

Online topics:

The Art of War: Britain’s war artists capture the conflict in artwork.\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/

Home Front: Fighting the war at home.\
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/homefront/ ‘Help put the lid on Hitler by saving your old metal and paper’, unknown date. ‘Children should be evacuated’ by Dudley S Cowes, unknown date. ‘Dig for Plenty’ by Le Bon, 1944 ‘Together’ by William Little, August 1941. Document: INF 2/44/85